Retarding device



y 1930- o. A. KRENKE 1,769,926

RETARDING DEVICE Filed Nov. 10, 1927 I 1 i z 17 amnmtoz 0H0 A.Kmka

Patented July 8, 1930 or rro ,A. KRENKE, or

P ATENT .Q

PORT HURON, MICHIGAN, ASSIG-NZQR .OE

P R QFPOBT menswe r nETAnnrnG nnvron Application filed NovemberlO, 1927. Serial No. 232 259.

The presentinventionpertains to a novel retarding device designed particularly for use-as a shock absorber, operatingon a braking-principle, in connection with motor vehicles.

The principal .object .of' theinvention is to provide a device of thischaracter constructed ofa small number ofsimple and inexpensive parts and wherein the retarding action is accomplished by the frictional engagement of brake shoes with a .rotatablecasing rather than by friction between a strap and the casing as'in present shock absorbers.

This object is'accomplished by constructing=the device essentially of a rotatable casing, 'a fixed hub, brake'shoes engaging the inner wall of the casing, and toggle members seatedin the hub and received between the brake shoes. The mounting of the toggle members in the hub-is such as-to tilt these members when: the casing is turned in a given direction whereby to force the shoes against the casing. 'In'the opposite rotation of'the casing, as during the recoil of a spring embodied in the device, the peculiar mounting of thetoggle members in the hub permits the casing to ride idly over the brake shoes.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following descriptionand in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the device mounted on a motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line -2-2 of Figure 1 ;-and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of'the toggle members.

"Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to'designate corresponding parts throughout.

'The numeral 1 indicatesthe chassis of a motor vehicle, and-the member 2" is an axle. To the chassis is secured a bracket 3 from which extends an integral horizontal spindle at. On the spindle is mounted a rotatable drum or casing 5 having a'hub 5 which affords a-bea'ring for the spindle. This'hub is surrounded by another hub member 6 which-is fixed to the spindle by a pin 7 and thereby held against rotation. The hub is formed with at least one square radial notch 8, but three such notches arelzshownin the present embodiment. As will: appearcfro'm thersubsequent description ofgthei operation of the device, any. number :of such notcheszand associated-assemblies may; be used.

' The:inner;circumferential.walliofathescasing 5zis. engagedaby anumber.ofspacedibrake shoes each comprising a metal segment g9and a-frictiongfacingzlO of leather or other fibrous material secured thereto for frictionalcontactiwith .sai'd innerxwall. .Togglezmemhers 11 corresponding Lin ,number'zto the": brake shoes,unless only one. such:member .andmwo shoes ;are used, have theirinnerends seated inzthecjnotches .8 andiztheir outer LGIILClS received betweenmutuallyadjacent brakeshoes. The inner; end of each. shoe isforniedto :retaina sharp corner 122which presents .a radial face '12 in surfacecontact .witlrtheafdjacent lateral or. radial wall of: the correspond-ingnotch 18. The other corner or edge within 1the:hubvis rounded at l3 to destroy the surface'con'tact betweenv the toggle membe r and f the other lateral or radial wall of the notch. :The outer end '14 of .the *toggle member: may be similarly shaped for facility in assembling and:reversibility in the braking direction of the device. v I

A' cover '15 is secured over-the open sideof the casing 5 and is 'formed-with' a depression 16 for the projecting en'd of the huband spindle. in this depression is mounteda coil spring 17 "having one end anchored to the cover asat 18 and-the other end l9janchored in one of the'toggle members.

The casing 5is formed withahorizontally extending ear-20 and ashoulde'r -21 above the same? A strap 22 has one endfixe'd to-the axle 2 'by means ofa clamp 23, and-the other 'end wound over a pin 2 4 laid upon the ear'20. A clamp-25 is supported on the shoulder 21 and the doubled part of'the strap, and the latter isfirmly secured'to the earby means of a bolt 26 passed through the clamp 25 and threaded intoan aperturej27' in the ear. 4

In the operation of the device, a separating movement between-the chassis' l and-axle 2,0bvioiisly causes, the casing '5-to turn in the direction of the arrow A, while the hub '6 remains stationary at allitimes. The i'f'riction between the casing and the brake shoes 9 tends to turn the latter in the same direction, whereby the outer ends of the to gle members are imparted a force acting in t e same direction. The rounded inner corners 13 of the toggle remove the resistance to such movement le members, whereupon the latter are tilte in their fixed sockets 8, and

neral direction of rotation of the casm 'fiistiltin'g movement results in a toggle or rying action between the brake shoes, to enlarge the spaces between the Shoes and conse uently to compress tlfe shoes at both ends. 15 toggle members on the ends of the shoes forces the utter outwardly to brin them into firm fm'etlolalenga ment with t e inner wall of theeal'mg 5. e firmness of this engagement 1.,- m with the ull separating the mema bars 1 and 2, but the force tending to turn thems ing in the direction of thearrow A is ficieht to cause some slippage between the tiling and the shoes, so that the shock is actplll cushioned rather than abruptly rea i a the'sametime, the s ring 17 winds, since the'end 19 thereof is fixe in so far as circumfelentiel movement is concerned. On the remillflf the spring'when the separating move- 80 teentbetweenxthe members 1 and 2 has terthe end 19 remains fixed and the end 18, H t; .4 neatly turns the casing in the. direc tim of e arrow B. Rotation of the casing direction tends to turn the outer ends 86 of .theltogglemembers 11 in the same directionand to bring the fiat face 12 thereof into surface enga ment with the adjacent lateral Okrl'ldiflLW l of the corresponding notch 8. This surface on agement prevents the toggle en membarsfrmn ing moved out of a radial position, a result of which there is no dispheel'nent or s reading of the brake shoes as when the togg e members are tilted, and con: lequently no obstruction to the turning of the mango in the direction ofthe arrow B under the action of the spring 17.

- 'rilnapplying the device to a vehicle, it is not to distort the body springs as in thetepphcation of shock absorbers of present comruction. Consequently, there is no strain on the springs in their normal condition, 0M1 they are therefore in a condition to functime as intended.

rmomofive or braking direction of the de- M rice-maybe reversed by reversing the toggle ra se that the flat faces 12 thereof are presented in the opposite direction. Another meaneof reversal is to fix the casing 5 against notation and connect the strap to the spindle 4 in a manner to cause the latter to turn. It will also be a parent that this braking action uieybeueed or general purposes rather than fore shock absorber exclusively, and that the construction may be modified in the number shoes and toggle members.

e compressive action of the Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departin from the sco e of the invention as indicated by the appen ed claims.

What I claim is 1. In a retarding device, a hub member, a casing member, one of said members being fixed and the other rotatable relatively thereto, brake shoes engaging the inner wall of said casing, toggle members each having one end seated in said hub and the other end received between mutually adjacent shoes, the end in the fixed member being mounted for tilting on rotation of the rotatable memher in one'direction, whereby'to force the shoes against the casing, and a spring connection between the casing and a relatively fixed member.

2. In a retarding device, a fixed hub, a rotatable casing, brake shoes engaging the inner wall of said casing, toggle members each having one end seated in said hub and the other end received between mutually adjacent shoes, the end in the hub being mounted for tiltingon rotation of said casing in one direction, whereby to force the shoes against the casing, and a spring connection between the casing and a relatively fixed member, said spring being positioned to wind in the braking direction of the casing.

3. In -a. retardingdevice, a fixed hub, a rotatablecasing, brake shoes engaging the inner wall of said casing, toggle members each having one end seated in said hub and theother end received between mutually adjacent shoes, the end in the hub being mounted for tilting on rotation of said casing in one direction, whereby to force the shoes against the casing, and a spring connection between the casing and one of said toggle members.

4. In a retarding device, a fixed hub having square notches, a rotatable casing, brake shoes engaging the inner wall of said casing, toggle members each having one end seated in said hub and the other end received betweenymutually adjacent shoes, the end in the hub having a flat face adapted for superficial surface contact with one of the lateral walls of the corresponding notch and having a rounded corner to provide clearance from the wall opposite said lateral wall, whereby to permit tilting of said toggle members on rotation of the casing in one direction, and a sprin connection between said casing and one of t e toggle members.

5. In a retarding device, a fixed hub having square notches, a rotatable casing, brake shoes engaging the inner wall of said casing, toggle members each having'one end seated in said hub and the other end received between mutually adjacent shoes, the end in the tub having a flat face adapted for superficial surface contact with one of the lateral Ill ture.

OTTO A. KRENKE. 

